Some New
pp. 104-105 · Read in the full issue
Novels
THIS month’s crop of novels cove four Continents with themes a widely different as the geographies distance involved. Perhaps the bes of them—if at the same time th most irritatingly artistic in style—i The Cage, by Thomas Hinde. Thi is a story of racial relationships i an emerging country—probably th world’s most popular theme at th moment, but one that is no les arresting for that.
This story concerns Kenya—bi few New Guinea readers could rea it without seeing the same posturing; doubts, double-talk; the sa m intellectuals hypnotised by their ow logic; the same natives condemned t the unsuited colourlessness c suburban democracy.
For some reason that probably h£ something to do with the author idea of the artistic, he tells the stor through the mind of a neurotic gi; who is recovering from a majc mental breakdown. Life in an emerj ing society that has cross-curren of racialism is difficult enough fc the totally sane; the menh anguishes and involvements o heroine Heather could have bee done without. (THE CAGE. Published by Hodder an Stoughton Ltd. 20/-.) SYDNEY writer-child psychologis educationalist Donald McLea goes back in his city’s history to tU 1880’s for his new novel The Won Turned Upside Down —probably t prove that the problem of chi] delinquency is no new thing.
In the 1880’s the territory betwee Sydney Rocks area and Woe loomooloo was wild and tougl; dominated by the wars between riv. l gangs of young toughs who fougl with knives, fists and pickets off tb fences. Kept reasonably in cheo by their leaders they—for the purpon of this story—erupted into violeno on a scale hitherto unknown wh© one leader was killed and the othu was on the run.
The violence culminated in the rag of a young domestic by a band ♦ the hoodlums who were subsequent] rounded up, tried and some of the; hanged.
The rape case and its aftermaij is founded on a real cause celebs of this period. The leading cha* acters in the novel are, howeve woven from the author’s imagination
(The World Turned Upshi
DOWN. Published by Heinemann. 26/-'
inOLENCE, tough men, spirited ▼ women and the Old South are art of the usual stock in trade of imerican novelist Frank Yerby and 'he Garfield Honour follows the attern.
Regarded as something of a hysical runt, Roak Garfield made p for it by early cruelty, wildness nd contempt of women. When he loved south to Texas and found access and love, his nature and his arly beginnings made it doubly iugh to hold either—in a way and story that is, no doubt, satisfying i this novelist’s established thousands f fans. (THE GARFIELD HONOUR. Published y Heinemann. 22/6.) f7*EW modern writers can create the L 1 same depths of Victorian bleak ess and gloom as Taylor Caldwell, ler latest novel, A Prologue of Love, i a good sample of her work.
None of this writer’s novels are ramped or small; she paints with rords on a mural-sized canvas, using regiment of characters usually in ime family relationship, each to the ther. Her novels are not lightly one, nor lightly read.
A Prologue to Love is the sort f story that inevitably sets the reader rendering what dark passages ppeared in the author’s own life; diat kinks and warpings must have ccurred in order for her to have nagined such a human creature as le central character, Caroline Ames, r her father John. Both were bnormalities, even amongst the eople of a generation who, accord ig to Miss Caldwell, specialised in lis department.
Although Ames is alleged to have isliked Caroline, through malicious ess or some sort of extension of his wn power he deliberately made her le repository of his own secrets for le accumulation of wealth; for his ower over people in high places and yen over Goyernments; his lanipulations and his flouting of loral and civil laws.
Boston and the Eastern States are art of the background but there are our excursions into Europe. No mse of humour touches this novel nd its sombre theme—although there re frivolous characters in the story -yet Caroline emerges as not [together an unsympathetic figure, aylor Caldwell admirers will, on le whole, be pleased with her ewest production. (A PROLOGUE TO LOVE. Published 7 Wm. Collins (Overseas) Ltd. 31/-.)